1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improved bushings for pivotally mounting dampers for heating and cooling ductwork systems without loss of conditioned air at the pivotal locations of the damper. The invention also relates to improved ductwork and ductwork dampers which incorporate such improved bushings. One example of such ductwork dampers is disclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 12/322,474, filed Feb. 2, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, commonly referred to as “HVAC” systems, generally make extensive use of air ducts which are utilized to transport heated or cooled air (i.e., conditioned air) throughout the system. Such duct systems are generally referred to as “air ductwork,” and components of such ductwork are generally made of sheet metal. While galvanized mild steel is the standard and most common material used in fabricating such ductwork, such ductwork can also be made of other materials such as aluminum, plastics, fiberglass and the like. The present invention is contemplated for use primarily with galvanized steel metal ductwork, but the use of my invention with other types of systems is also envisioned.
In most systems, the ductwork components are assembled in a manner to best distribute the air to designated locations using such featured components as plenums, take-offs, volume control dampers and the like. Take-offs may be fitted into round or rectangular openings cut into the wall of the main duct.
Volume control dampers (i.e., “VCDs”) are incorporated in such HVAC ductwork systems to provide a method of adjusting the volume of air flow to various parts of the system. Such VCD's provide this function. Besides the regulation provided at the registers of diffusers that spread air into individual rooms, dampers can be fitted within the ducts themselves. These dampers may be manual or automatic. Zone dampers provide automatic control in simple systems, while VAVs (i.e., Variable Air Volume Controls) allow control in more sophisticated systems.
Dampers of the type described are generally pivotally mounted in a section of ductwork on relatively loose fitting hard plastic bushings, primarily nylon bushings. Accordingly, over time, substantial losses of energy have been sustained by leakage of conditioned air through the generous spaces which existed between the bushings and the sheet metal ductwork, and between the bushings and the damper shafts. It has been estimated that such ductwork systems utilizing the prior art bushings have sustained up to three percent (3%) loss of conditioned air.
In the past, the comparatively low cost of such energy losses did not present serious issues. However, with the rising cost of energy, the focus on such losses have become a serious cause for concern. In particular, it has been determined that such losses are not sustainable.
The present invention relates to a bushing for mounting such dampers to ductwork intended for transporting conditioned air from place to place, without the loss of such conditioned air at the pivotal locations of the dampers. As well, the invention also relates to a damper unit which incorporates such bushing, and ductwork which incorporates such damper and bushing.